North/South death rates divide

People living in the north of England have a greater risk of dying early than those in the south, according to a national league table of premature death rates published today.

The Longer Lives website from Public Health England ranks local authorities using a traffic light system, ranging from red for the worst areas to green for the best. Click here to see a map showing how where you live compares to elsewhere in the country.

There is a clear north/south divide in the statistics, which show the number of people under the age of 75 who died over a two-year period, with Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt describing it as a "shocking variation".